M. C. Semper on Euplectella aspergillum. 27 
if the simplest circumstances threatened to become confused 
by the help of our savants, who do not hesitate to support by 
scientific reasonings the simple fancies of a set of fishermen, I 
think it is time for me to bring my own observations to light. 
Under the name of “ regadera’’*, these sponges are brought 
by the fishermen for sale to Cebti, one of the Visaya islands. 
In the course of several years I myself saw there seven or 
eight specimens; and, as I was told by a very intelligent 
mestizo in the town, about twelve to fourteen specimens in all 
had, up to that time (1864) been sent to Europe. As, how- 
ever, nearly all these specimens, having been bought by 
Spaniards, went to Spain, and probably remained for the most 
part as ornaments in the state rooms of private individuals, we 
may easily understand how, since the investigations of Owen 
and Bowerbank, no further details as to these organisms came 
into the possession of the scientific world. Recently the fisher- 
men of Cebi seem to have discovered the true habitat of the 
sponge; at least this is indicated by the rapidly increasing 
number of the specimens of Huplectella since my return in the 
-year 1865. ‘This was certainly not the case during my resi- 
dence. In a dredging voyage which I made in the year 1864 
round the neighbouring island of Bohol; and in the channel 
between Bohol and Cebii I anchored for two days in 120 fa- 
thoms, at the spot where the fishermen of §. Nicolas asserted 
they had found the Huplectella. As I fished for them in vain, 
it seems probable that they had deceived me as well as all 
other Europeans, so as not to bring down the price of the 
sponges by betraying the place of their origin—a stratagem 
which is well known to be employed not only by Malay 
fishermen. As I was unlucky in my fishing, I purchased a 
specimen, which, unfortunately, was much bleached and no 
longer fresh. Subsequently I obtained through a kind friend 
fourteen specimens, all, with the exception of two, perfectly 
preserved. Nearly all of these contained the crustacean which 
IT had long known, and the association of which with this 
sponge was first made known by Gray. 
* “ Regadera” means “ watering-pot.” The false spelling (“ rigederos ”) 
of Messrs. H. Chevalier and Gray reminds me vividly of a time when I en- 
deavoured in vain to teach an English sailor the correct pronunciation of 
some Spanish names. The eu e and a were constantly pronounced 
by him aszande, Exactly the same orthography seems to have been 
adopted in the above case. I might venture here to cite a third, and this 
time a Germanized spelling of the Spanish word “‘regadera,” namely 
“reidschidiros.” By such felicitous changes we may hope by degrees to 
introduce this denomination again into the Philippines as true Malay. 
At least, the attempted derivations of the word “ Papua” show the pos- 
sibility of this in an allied case. 
